Who Brought Tobacco To England?

As a sailor in Bristol in 1556 was seen exhaling smoke four years before the obvious answer, Sir Walter Raleigh was born. Raleigh's fame it seems now exists primarily on things he didn't do. Anyway Raleigh never visited Virginia or even North America. It was the Frenchman Jean Nicot who gave his name to nicotine who brought tobacco to France in 1560. It came to Britain from France, and Raleigh probably was introduced to the habit by Francis Drake and then went on to popularise it.
The potato too probably reached Britain from Europe rather than through Raleigh's efforts. It was at first thought to be poisonous as the upper parts of the plant truly are. Villager in Ireland threatened to raise Raleigh's house to the ground when he planted one in his garden in Ireland.
Potatoes gradually gained a following and doctors began claimed wonderful cures due to them.

Sir Walter Raleigh

Sir Walter Raleigh